Jeff Lang, an underground success in his native Australia, is embarking on a Western Canadian tour in support of Running by the Rock.
According to Lang in an interview with The Peak, the EP is composed of “songs from a few different albums that have come out in various places but not previously in North America.” The EP is, in Lang’s words, “a bit of a career overview with enough of the variety of moods in my music represented to give people an idea of where my music travels.” Given that the songs are from past albums, there isn’t a concern that he will be alienating fans who live outside of Canada.
I’ve listened to the EP now a couple of times. It is well-crafted, considering the shorter six song format. The songs flow nicely together to create a cohesive sound that sounds less copied and pasted than Lang made it seem.
His sound is a mix between blues, folk, and roots, creating a sound that is unique, yet familiar. Each song does have a different feel to it making Running By The Rock an EP that doesn’t fall into the trap that early career EPs often do.
Lang has had the ability to develop his sound. He recognizes that songs over time can evolve from where they began. “There’s usually some kind of expansion from when I first write the songs on my own to when I play them with a band, which is often very early in the song’s life when we record them, then from there to performing them live,” he says.
“Even a solo performance will be different after I’ve recorded the songs with other players. It changes the way I arrange them on my own.”
So while fans can listen to Running by the Rock in anticipation of his tour dates, the live show may ultimately sound completely different than the recorded versions.
Lang, too, is looking forward to playing in Canada, for multiple reasons: “Escaping the brutal heat here in Australia at this time of year definitely appeals, but moreover I’m looking forward to playing some places I’ve not been to before on my travels and meeting the people who come to the shows. What can I say? I like Canadians.”
Lang will be performing in Vancouver on February 11 at Rogue Folk Club.
